In the art of upward acting single and multi-panel garage doors and the like, there has been a continuing need to develop door guide track assemblies which are economical to manufacture, easy to install, and can accommodate door installations where low headroom or low ceiling height conditions are encountered. In particular, there has also been a continuing need to develop simplified guide track assemblies which reduce manufacturing costs and the number of different parts required to be carried in inventory by door dealers and installers. Still further, there has been a continuing need to provide door guide track assemblies wherein the guide track members and associated mounting brackets are adapted for ease of installation and wherein the track assemblies may be prepositioned with their cooperating parts connected to each other and then adjusted for final securement to each other. These desiderata together with the ever present need to reduce costs associated with the manufacture and installation of door guide track assemblies have been substantially met by the present invention.
The present invention provides improved guide track assemblies and mounting brackets therefor for use with upward acting garage doors and the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, improved guide track assemblies are provided which include three part tracks which make up the entire track length, including a vertical track section, a curved transition track section and a substantially horizontally extending track section. The transition track section may be of a circular radius of curvature or, for low headroom applications, the transition section is preferably formed with generally elliptical radius of curvature or a similar geometry. The elliptical curvature is preferably provided with major and minor axes having a length ratio of about 1.5:1 to 2:1.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the track assemblies include improved mounting brackets for supporting the vertically extending track sections and the transition track sections. The respective mounting brackets are provided with connector or retainer elements which are easily and adjustably connected to the respective track sections. In particular, the mounting brackets are preferably provided with one or more rivet head shaped retainer members mounted thereon and operable to be engaged with a track section at cooperating keyhole-shaped slots. Mounting brackets are also provided with portions which engage the track section to provide a snug fit between the brackets and the track section so that the brackets do not slip out of position during installation procedures.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the invention, a guide track assembly in accordance with the invention is provided with generally straight track sections which are interchangeable between left and right-hand assemblies (opposite sides of the door) and between the vertically and horizontally extending parts of the guide track assemblies. The so-called straight track sections are also adapted to be connected to track mounting brackets in such a way that the retainer portions of the mounting brackets, once the brackets are secured to the door jamb or the wall adjacent the door opening, support the track sections stationary without requiring separate fasteners interconnecting the brackets with the tracks. Still further, mounting brackets are provided which are adapted to be connected to the guide track transition section to accommodate selective positioning of the track assemblies with respect to a wall to which the mounting brackets are attached and also to eliminate the requirement for separate, generally horizontally extending bracket parts for supporting a track assembly.
Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.